Grace notes...

These are notes from a Sermon last week on the Gospel and Gal 2:20-by pastor Jeremy. I want to let them sink deeper into my heart so I am putting them here.  Lord,  teach this to my innermost being.

Is Grace a doctrine you believe or a deep well of water you drink freely from?

The enemy of the Gospel is not the law, it is "another gospel" . It is often when we base out justification on our progress and performance of our sanctification.
We are highly performance driven as a culture. We carry our performance mentality into our relationship with God…we forget that it is Unmerited Favor. The Gospel of Grace needs to be beaten into our brains repeatedly.

What is your contribution to your salvation?  It's your sin!
When I try to add to the gospel, I am trying to rebuild what was torn down. It is foolish to think I can smuggle in obedience into Christ's finished work.

And it seems too good to be true. Christ's righteousness imputed to us and all my sin imputed to Him. I have been crucified with Christ. God does not grade on a curve- He grades on perfection and the only way to make the grade is to be crucified with Christ.

What does the law do? It always puts our focus on the law keeper. we break it or keep it. but Faith-- puts the focus on Christ. The law is good! It makes the good news Good. It's not about a balance of the law and grace. There is no balance. We live by faith. We are at the same time both Just and sinful. --> and only faith embraces this.

On my worst day I cannot forfeit God's love.

Some may say, if you preach like this, we will become too lax about sin. But it's not true. When someone you love opens wide their arms to us, it is the natural response to run in and embrace that one back. It is His kindness that leads up to repentance and the Grace of God that leads us to godliness.

Part of cultivating a life of joy in part is intentionally living in thanksgiving. So here's a short exercise of thanksgiving for the sake of Joy and acknowledging the One who gives ALL good things.

1. Thank you for breakfast this morning, for always providing what I need.
2. Thanks for the vitamix and all the delicious and healthy things that I can make with it now.
3. Thanks for this fresh Apple juice.
4. Thank you for the enjoyment of cooking
5. Thank you for my selfless godly roommate
6. Thank you for this morning to rest
7. Thank you for Spring time!
8. Thank you for trees, especially the flowering ones
9. Thank you that although I am a terrible sinner, Your grace is far greater than my sin
10. Thank You for my church. the best church I have ever been part of.
11. Thank you for small  youtube sermonettes that you use to lift up my soul
12. Thank You for Your Spirit, that lives in me even though I am still learning what that means and and the potential of it.
13. Thank You for being a gentle teacher to me- that You will teach me
14. And that You give wisdom to those who ask and lack it- because I lack it
15. Thank You for financial freedom, although I'm still learning how to steward this right.
16. Thank you for work and the strength to press forward in difficult seasons of life
17. Thank You that when I have no strength, You are abundantly sufficient in my weakness
18. Thank You for meeting me, loving me, and saving me in my weakness
19. Thank You that You will make me like yourself one day- when I get home You.
20. Thank You that You are a great healer- able to heal any pain or hurt. ANY.
21. Thank You again, for Your grace. that is greater than my greatest sin on my worst day. Your Grace that shines down with favor and pleasure in your children. Grace that was purchased by the death and finished work of Your perfect Son. Grace, unmerited and free.

picture lessons on right perspectives

There are 2 picture lessons that have been on my mind a lot this week.

One is the picture of beautiful tree, with one of its branches broken off and laying next to it… dried out and dead.  The branch might be laying right next to the tree, but it doesn't matter. John 15 says  that He is vine and we are the branches and to remain in Him. Apart from him we can do nothing. When I don't abide with him, I am like that branch, broken off, dried up and unfruitful.


The second picture I have been thinking about is the rope analogy by Francis Chan. He has a rope, and says to imagine it is so long it wraps around the world. He has 3 inches of it painted red, which represents our time on earth, and the rest of the rope if our existence in eternity. He says, most of us live for the tiny red part, - making this life comfortable, successful, and safe, storing up our treasures here. He says people look at his life and say, "that's stupid what you are doing" but he says, "No! what you are doing is stupid! I am living for eternity"



 So my questions to myself are: Am I living for and investing in eternity or for the fleeting comforts of this life? and Am I abiding in a way that bears much fruit, walking closely with my precious Savior who is a the source of life…





When I was in college I remember my friend praying, "Lord, teach us not so many many things, but that we know a few things very very well."

I pray this for myself, to learn these lessons full well and live a life that reflected it in the end.

with flowers in His hand.

Acres of Hope
by Shane and Shane

He will allure her, He will pursuer her and call her out
To the wilderness with flowers in His hand
She is responding beat up and hurting deserving death
But offerings of life are found instead

She will sing, she will sing oh, to You
She will sing as in the days of youth
As You lead her away to valleys low
To acres of hope, acres of hope

Here in the valley walk close beside me don't look back
For love is growing vineyards up ahead You have called me master
And though You're in the dark here call me friend
And call me lover and marry me for good

She will sing, she will sing, oh, to You
She will sing as in the days of youth
As You lead her away to valleys low
To acres of hope, acres of hope

How the story ends is love and tenderness in Him
Not safe, but worth it, so worth it. So in the valley's up ahead
Or the ones, we live we'll sing together, we'll sing together

We will sing, we will sing oh, to You
We will sing as in the days of youth
As You lead us away to valleys low
To acres of hope, acres of hope

I have always loved this song and is one I often sing on walks alone. Just last week we had tornados, and now Spring is here with blue skies. God is so kind to me that He had me live in a home whose previous owner loved flowers as much as I do, and planted them everywhere. Thank you Lord for bringing me flowers!